Things to share from my business journey

The Surprising Benefits of Fun At Work

It can be a precarious balancing act, the idea of fun at work. While all workers, volunteer or otherwise, will be more productive when they are doing things they enjoy, the idea of trying to inject more fun into an organisation’s operations can be quite a tricky one. When implemented properly, there are several major benefits of fun at work, but there are notable pitfalls too, so spending time to get things ‘just right’ is worth the extra thought it entails.

Improved Communication

Staff or board members who have opportunities to get to know one another find their communication is more seamless and fewer workplace misunderstandings take place. Getting to know each other can be a long process, but is accelerated by work-related extracurricular activities.

Increased Productivity

Better, more efficient performance is the natural consequence of hard work being interspersed with fun. Silicon Valley companies are famous for having places for employees to play computer games at their own discretion throughout their workday, or even flop on a beanbag and have a beer. Each organisation will have their own ideas for what is appropriate for their culture, but letting workers have fun can give them the mental break they need for the next burst of innovative thinking.

Improved Worker Retention

People tend to stick around when they feel they belong and are appreciated. Festivals that rely on volunteers have the same people back year after year, often because they are looking forward to the “volunteer appreciation concert”. Making sure people are having fun is a great way to encourage them to stick around and enjoy a long-term association with any organisation.

Staff Implemented Fun

Many organisations report the best results from work-related fun occur when it is the employees themselves who decide what they would like to do. Giving workers the first and final say in their work-related fun activities increases feelings of being appreciated and ensures the activities chosen will be well received. As one individual pointed out, work-related obligations that are not chosen by those supposed to enjoy them, can end up feeling like more work.

Formation of “Second Family”

When workers have the chance to have fun and get to know one another well, colleagues can start to build relationships that can feel, particularly for younger people, like a “second family”. They are people one can feel comfortable with, trust implicitly, and enjoy sharing milestones and successes with. When this happens, spontaneous fun emerges throughout the calendar, as people are keen to mark occasions, such as birthdays, at work.

Ensuring a good balance of fun exists alongside the operations of any organisation is good encouragement for the people involved to work better, experience greater satisfaction, and stick around to be part of an organisation’s growth.